Sunday, October 26, 2008

The National Football League is a prolific money maker. It generates millions in revenues, sells millions more in apparel, and most every form of media benefits from the top professional sport.

Listening to the mainstream media would lead one to believe track and field is full of drug cheats, and that NFL is squeaky clean.

The dirty little secret is that the NFL most certainly has a performance drug problem so big that it that makes Sarah Palin look competent.

The league’s linebackers weigh a whopping 270 pounds and nearly all run close to 4.5 in the 40-yard run.

Denver's FOX-31 dropped a bomb shell that Deuce McCalister and Will Smith of New Orleans are reportedly tested positive under the NFL’s steroid policy as a result of taking water pills to lose weight, according to a report from Fox 31-Denver reporter Josina Anderson.

He reportedly said, “There are about six to ten overall positive tests. Three to four of them are from the Saints organization alone including McAllister and Smith.

When used as a masking agent a diuretic dilutes the urine, which results in lower levels of the banned substance being excreted from the body. That can make it more difficult to detect banned substances.

The NFL boasts of its drug-testing program that nets a few players here and there. Sure, those offensive lineman are blowing up to 350 pounds on eating right and lifting weights. Right. That’s believable.

The NFL drug testing policy is soft and been criticized by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but the league has rejected any talk of meeting WADA standards.

But there have been clear signs of a drug problem. Some recall the 2006 federal conviction of Dr. James Shortt, who supplied the steroid and human growth hormone prescription to four players of Carolina Panthers.

One of these players was punter Todd Sauerbrun, who was taking steroids. The punter had obtained syringes and injectable Stanozolol, the same chemical Ben Johnson used before the 1988 Olympics. If a punter is taking steroids, common sense tells us that others are using as well.

Cut Track and field some slack, as it has a comprehensive drug testing program and the worlds toughest penalties. The sport is ahead of the curve on the drug issue compared to the likes of the NFL.